The Sunday News
Simba Jemwa, Sports Correspondent
ZIMBABWE takes on Tunisia this morning in a Davis Cup World Group II semi-final with a seat among the elite up for grabs ahead of the 2022 Davis Cup campaign.
The Davis Cup tie is being played at the Tennis Club de Tunis in the capital Tunis which is a clay court.
According to the draw conducted yesterday, 37-year-old world number 303 Malek Jaziri takes on 22-year-old Bulawayo lad, Mehluli Sibanda in the first singles match of the day. Ranked 1061 in the world, Sibanda will be hoping to upset his more experienced opponent and give Team Zimbabwe 1 -0 lead before Benjamin Lock takes on Aziz Dougaz in match 2 of the encounter.
Dougaz is ranked 331 in the world while his opponent is ranked 490 in the world. However, Lock has already had a memorable encounter in Tunisia this year having his first title of the year in that country. In April, Lock partnered with his opponent today, Dougaz and the pair won International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tour doubles title.
Despite being considered one of the best in the Davies Cup for a long time during the Black brothers’ era and competing with the world top tennis playing nations including a memorable home encounter against the United States of America, Zimbabwe have gone down the rankings over the last few years.
However, they are on the cusp of a return to these hallowed heights and victory over Tunisia will take them one step closer to this dream. Captained by Gwinyai Tongoona, Zimbabwe has a team that is inexperienced at this level but has the talent and the potential to see the country return to party with the big boys in the world of tennis.
This year will be no different in terms of talent and could, potentially, be one of the strongest Davis Cup teams that Zimbabwe has produced. Ahead of their World Group II first round tie with Tunisia, we look at the Zimbabwean team:
Benjamin Lock
Date of birth: 04 March 1993
Birth place: Harare, Zimbabwe
Plays: Right-handed (Double handed backhand)
Singles ranking: 490
Doubles ranking: 210
Mehluli Sibanda
Date of birth: 06 November 1999
Birth place: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Plays: Right-handed (Double handed backhand)
Singles ranking: 1061
Doubles ranking: 1614
Courtney Lock
Date of birth: 18 October 1996
Birth place: Harare, Zimbabwe
Plays: Right-handed (Double handed backhand)
Singles ranking: 2084=
Doubles ranking: 563
Thabo Ncube
Date of birth: 16 April 2001
Birth place: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Plays: Right-handed (Double handed backhand)
Singles ranking:
Doubles ranking: 2533=
Davis Cup World Group II semi-final draw
MATCH 1: Malek JAZIRI vs Mehluli Don Ayanda SIBANDA
MATCH 2: Aziz DOUGAZ vs Benjamin LOCK
MATCH 3: Malek JAZIRI/Skander MANSOURI vs Benjamin LOCK/Courtney John LOCK
MATCH 4: Malek JAZIRI vs Benjamin LOCK
MATCH 5: Aziz DOUGAZ vs Mehluli Don Ayanda SIBANDA
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